18 Months Old

As of today, Kainoa has been home with us longer than he was away from us. We also have had him home longer than we officially waited for him. He ALSO is 18 months old!! Two years, heck...9 months, ago I never thought (hoped, sure) we'd be sitting here. He is such an amazing little person and has filled our life with this incredible joy, a deep love and such a wide range of emotion (all three of us) that I cannot imagine my life without.

For all the changes in his short life, Kainao has come through like a champ. He takes most things in stride and as long as blankie and paci are nearby, everything is right with the world. We are beginning to hold 'conversations.' Actually, they are more of a q&a type of exchange...but it is so much fun when I ask him a question and he responds with an actual answer instead of a blank stare or his cocked head and saying "huh??" Yes, his answers are still a simple one syllable "ya" or "no"...but they are still answers!

Sleeping like a baby....

I think I may have figure out where that saying came from. Mind you, when we first came home with Kainoa I was sure whoever said that was high on something because the way he slept (or not) was not something we enjoyed nor would have encouraged anyone to copy. Anyway....at 9 o'clock last night we heard the unmistakable chirp of a dying smoke detector battery. We played detective and were sure it was the alarm in the hall...so we quietly got out the ladder, found the batteries (quite lucky we had some in the junk drawer), and replaced the offending 9V. All was well until 1 minute later...another chirp!

More detective playing....many chirps later we discovered that it was coming from Kainoa's room <> and it was being amplified by the baby monitor. It either had to be changed or none of us would get any sleep....except, appearantly, for Kainoa. We decided to risk it and try to change the battery. Our thought was that it would be easier to try to get him back to sleep than to try to sleep and ignore the beep and possibly have him wake up in the middle of night. Well, all of that planning was for naught. We opened the door, used the ladder and changed the battery .... all without as much as a peep from our sleeping baby.

I've Been Tagged...

I received a very fun note from Lucia this morning "tagging" me! So, today's post will be all about me :-)

Here's what I have been "tagged" to do:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged, and to read your blog.

Random Fact #1 I love movies. That's not the random part - this is: I have a very low threshold for what is "good".... if it makes me laugh (even just a chuckle) or cry, it passes as good. Be careful when asking me for movie recommendation ;-)

Random Fact #2 I loved 4-H. I can't wait for Kainoa to be old enough to join and really hope, deep down, that he loves it at much as I did and I can't wait to be a 4-H leader. I did everything...raised a hog and sold it at auction, learned to sew and cook, learned how to be a clown (yes, a clown), public speaking, lots of community service, you name it, I most likely did it.

Random Fact #3 I hate doing dishes. I can't even blame it on my parents...it was never punishment or even a chore (that I remember). I just hate doing it....I pretty much always have....much to the chagrin of former roommates and now my husband. Rest assured, I do them...just not my favorite household chore. My dream robot will wash all the dishes in our house whenever they're dirty and will dry them and put them away.

Random Fact #4 I make cards. They are so much fun. I never considered myself gifted in the arts...but this is one area that allows me to put color and texture together in a small manageble project with a clear beginning and pretty clear end. Unfortunately, this creates a litle addiction for me...I am addicted to paper, embellishments and Cricut. I posted a couple of my favorites below.

Random Fact #5 My husband and I started dating after spending an afternoon together at a day spa in Santa Cruz. The more random part is that we were there to celebrate with a mutual friend that ended up being the best man at our wedding.

Random Fact #6 I swam with the dolphins in Makena, Maui. It wasn't just because we could...but more because I couldn't get back in the kayak...and I tipped over the kayak, a kayak that was supposed to be un-tippable. Also on that trip I married my husband. So far, we've always been able to get back in our kayak, regardless who tipped it over.

Random Fact #7 I lived in Detroit for 5 years. When I agreed to move there, I didn't even know where Michigan was (geography was not my best subject!). I joined the Jesuit Volunteers and truly was "ruined for life." When I first heard that phrase, I thought it was hokey and it couldn't possibly refer to me. Well, 12 years later, I'm still finding new ways that JVC and my community touched my life. I learned so much about myself as well as my place in this wide, wide world.

Random Fact #8 My toenails are always polished. They are only "naked" during my monthly pedicure for a brief few moments between the old color and the new.

Tag, my friends...Val, Sarah, Janalee, Katrina & Jacosa....you're it!

We found another Fairy Tale Land

We took a little trip over to Oakland to explore their version of Fairy Tale land. It was huge! Lots of rides, animals, things to climb on, marionnette puppet shows, children's theater and very clean bathrooms with large stalls and changing tables in both men's and women's restrooms. (yes, sometimes, it's a clean bathroom that makes the biggest impression...at least on the mamas and daddies).

Bargain of the year!! $2.99 swimming pool

We have had more fun than I ever imagined with this little pool.

Introducing.....

Allison Grace

Geoff & Jen , my brother and sister-in-law, welcomed their sweet little girl to the world on July 2 at 9:00 a.m. She is a healthy baby and is soaking up her role in our family as first granddaughter! We're all very ready for pink frills and little dresses...I sure hope she is!! We are so blessed to have her as our newest family member.

More Summer Fun

It's official....we have another fish on our hands. Timi and I both love the water and sure enough, so does Kainoa. Today, as soon as we got home and let Sheba out to go potty Kainoa started taking off his clothes and pointing to the swim diapers. He was ready to get wet! Nevermind that it was 5 o'clock and I still had to figure out dinner :-) Fortunately, he is still fairly easily distracted and the promise of juice redirected him and swimming was forgotten.

Sheba & Kainoa taking a break and resting in the sun.

Fun at the Splash Park